The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Here's a telephone
Here's a window
Here's a little dove to tell you how the wind blows
I've got a black heart I've got a shadow
I've got little dove that drags me up a ladder
You've got a halo
A heart of gravel
Little worms come out my darling rotten apple
I pluck the heart strings until my hands bleed
But when that eye blinks I'll be buried in the tree leaf
Here's a flag for my darling soldier
Here's a little dove to land upon your shoulder
My precious children you know I love you
But I've got news I'm gonna have to get rid of you
You thought you knew me
I thought I knew you
The little dove came down and right away out threw you
I've got a black heart
I got a shadow
I send a little dove to push you down the ladder
Little bell don't you get so worked up at all
But fire in hell is waiting just to burn us
We can't jump and yell no ones looking for us
You can ring your bell but everyone it bars in
Here's a window
Here's a little dove to tell you how the wind blows
I've got a black heart I've got a shadow
I've got little dove that drags me up a ladder
You've got a halo
A heart of gravel
Little worms come out my darling rotten apple
I pluck the heart strings until my hands bleed
But when that eye blinks I'll be buried in the tree leaf
Here's a flag for my darling soldier
Here's a little dove to land upon your shoulder
My precious children you know I love you
But I've got news I'm gonna have to get rid of you
You thought you knew me
I thought I knew you
The little dove came down and right away out threw you
I've got a black heart
I got a shadow
I send a little dove to push you down the ladder
Little bell don't you get so worked up at all
But fire in hell is waiting just to burn us
We can't jump and yell no ones looking for us
You can ring your bell but everyone it bars in
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Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
So, I don't know how many of you have seen the movie Misery... this seems to cue up pretty well with what happens. If you don't know what happens in the movie, go look up a synopsis, but Annie would be the one singing the song, if someone was...